Jersey - St Aubin
The pretty town and harbour of St Aubin, lying-up directly opposite St Helier across the sandy crescent of St Aubin's Bay, surpassed its larger neighbour in importance throughout the 18th century. This superior position resulted from the marvellous harbour facilities constructed there between 1754-1819, where, at one point in the 18th century, some 150 'pirated' French ships had been captured and moored in the harbour, at that time under the command of Sir George Carteret. There is much irony in the acknowledgement that St Aubin took its name from a 6th century bishop of Angers, who was the patron saint and protector of those vulnerable to piracy.
The town owed much of its thriving commercial success in the 18th century to its indulgent treatment of 'privateers'. Privateering was more or less a polite word for piracy; the principal difference between free-booters and privateers being that the latter's privately owned ships were 'legally' licensed by the British government to board, seize and plunder enemy shipping. The plundered rewards that flowed into and through St Aubin from continued years of privateering were quite staggering; indeed, the town accumulated considerable wealth long before St Helier rose to prominence. It is worth reminding ourselves, however, that as privateering was government 'sponsored', a large percentage of the spoils were diverted to government coffers to help fund wars and maintain Royal castles.
St Aubin's harbour today is a very different prospect from the 18th century rough and tumble that would have accompanied fighting ships; a popular holiday venue, it bustles now with the movement of small yachts and cruisers, and the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club is located there. Standing a little offshore, but accessible at certain low tides, is St Aubin's Fort. Built in 1542, during the reign of Henry VIII (1509-47), as a bastion against sea raiders, the fort's long history is littered with periods of renovation and rebuilding. A major period of rebuilding occurred in 1840 and again, a hundred years later, the structure underwent considerable re-fortification during the Nazi occupation. A visit to St Aubin's Fort is certain to be rewarded by the marvellous views on offer from its ramparts, a sweeping panoramic seascape taking in the delightful profile of Elizabeth Castle, reclining on the opposite side of the Bay.
The town harbour is enclosed by two jetties, the most southerly being built in 1675, replaced in 1754 and contemporary with its profitable privateering days, as are the series of grand old houses lining the harbour, known as the Bulwarks - built about 1790, no doubt with the help of foreign plunder. The second pier is a more recent addition, dating from the early 19th century. Inland, St Aubin is relaxed and peaceful, its quaint High Street lined with an assortment of historic buildings; of some interest, the Old Court House often appeared in the popular 1980's police drama Bergerac. One oddity is the Shell House, the garden of which has been decorated with seashells over a period of 30 years.